Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 87. (Budapest 1995)

Bálint, Zs.: Two new Polyommatus species from the Himalayan region (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae, Polyommatini)

Several taxa could successfully penetrate different kinds of biotopes: tundra habitats in high altitude (Polyommatus icarus in W. Mongolia or Polyommatus chitralensis SwiNHOE 1910, in the Himalayas) or xeromontane valleys (Polyommatus bienerti BÁLINT, 1992 in Turkmenistan or a still undescribed Polyommatus sp. in Uzbekistan). P. icarus is one of the best adapted polyommatine lycaenid of the noosphere (sensu TEILHARD 1955) and its evolutive strength could perhaps have originated from the coalescence of several phyletic lines (see BÁLINT 1992b) as well as from its rather aggressive and vagile behaviour amongst lycaenids (LuNDGREN 1977). This coalescence is most probably the result of a loss of host plant and nectar source specialization which produced the cohesive population structure in the arboreal and xeromontane zone of the Palaearctic regions. This theory, however, must be confirmed by thorough écologie studies. The importance of the xeromontane elements in the noosphere is rather conspicuous, because several cultivated plant and animal species had "xeromontane" roots (VARGA 1976: 209). 16 17 18 Figs 16-18. Female genitalia of Polyommatus. 16 = P. szabokyi BÁLINT, Ih Bogd, Mongolia, gen. prep. No. 438, BÁLINT 17 = P. janetae EVANS, Pakistan, Lalazar, gen. prep. No. 440, BÁLINT, 18 = P. pierinoi sp. n., paratype, Sabze Khola, gen. prep. No. 528, BÁLINT